Brothers United
by mckeown
Summary: Sequel to The Lost Brother. Snake Eyes and Fire Storm work on a plan to save their brother, meanwhile Storm Shadow is losing himself to Mindbender's brainwashing; will the memory of his little brother be enough to save his mind?
1. Chapter 1

_Storm Shadow stared down Fire Storm's blade. The eyes of the two brothers met before Storm Shadow quickly drew his own blade and the swords clanged. Fire Storm was hard pressed by his older brother's more experienced martial arts and so he stayed on the defensive, knowing only a stroke of luck would allow him to land an offensive move. _

"_Storm Shadow!" Fire Storm cried out, his brother's sword nicking his arm painfully. "Fight it! I know you're in there, brother! Fight Cobra's control!"_

"_You are a fool, Fire Storm," Storm Shadow hissed back. "Have you learned nothing from the rest of our family's mistake?" _

_Storm Shadow gestured behind him and Fire Storm's eyes opened wide when he saw the fallen bodies of Snake Eyes, Kamakura and Tiger Claw. Jinx was sitting against the wall, clutching the wound in her side. She looked up at Fire Storm and let out a shuddering breath._

_Fire Storm quickly blocked Storm Shadow's attack. "Do you feel nothing from what you've done? No guilt?"_

"_Why should I? They were in the way and I removed them."  
_

"_This isn't like you, this isn't like the brother who turned himself in so Cobra wouldn't find me."_

"_Look what good it did me! They tortured me for my disobedience but then I was forgiven and now I am fully in Cobra Commander's good graces. I am feared by the Cobra troops and respected by his officers. This is power, little brother; this is the reward for immersing yourself in darkness. You can know this too, Cobra Commander is a generous leader."_

"_But Snake Eyes—"_

"_Was a fool and you will be a fool too if you follow him. Come with me, we can finally be together like you've always wanted."_

_Fire Storm looked at Storm Shadow's offered hand before looking at the still body of Snake Eyes. "No."_

"_What?"_

"_I said no. You killed your own brother for the sake of power. If I stand in your way will you kill me too? I'd rather die facing you and then die with a knife in my back. " Fire Storm was not sure where his resolve was coming from but he let strengthen his confidence as he attacked. _

_Storm Shadow was surprised when Fire Storm managed to land several blows before the older ninja was able to mount a defense. _

_Storm Shadow quickly switched to offensive as Fire Storm lacked the skill to keep him on the defensive. Before Fire Storm had a chance Storm Shadow disarmed him and kicked him in the side, sending him to the floor. _

_Fire Storm whimpered on the ground, his ribs aching, and he looked up into the cold eyes of his brother. _

"_You are weak, Fire Storm, and Cobra has no tolerance for weaklings."_

_Storm Shadow raised his sword and Fire Storm screamed as the blade was brought down, slicing through flesh and bone._


	2. Chapter 2

**Blackrose: Thanks for the quick review, glad to see you're still with me. Yeah, I was going for a dynamic start so I hope I got it.**

Fire Storm awoke, gasping for air as his hands clutched at his chest where Storm Shadow had stabbed him. Adrenaline rushed through him and with it he grasped his senses. He was in a dimly lit room, his breathing was rapid but it did not drown out the calm breathing next to him and he could feel a firm hand grasping his shoulder.

Fire Storm knew what he would see before he turned so he drew in deep breaths to calm himself before looking to his left. Snake Eyes sat beside his bed, one hand grasping his shoulder and he was without his mask, his blue eyes boring into Fire Storm.

With his free hand Snake Eyes signed, '_The dream again_?'

Fire Storm nodded. "I'm sorry that I woke you, Snake Eyes."

Snake Eyes shook his head and gripped Fire Storm's shoulder reassuringly, '_It's not your fault._'

Fire Storm sighed and got up, his legs shaky but he steadied himself. "I'm going to the training room."

Snake Eyes sighed as Fire Storm disappeared around the bend. His little brother had been having nightmares about Storm Shadow killing them all since he had told Fire Storm three days ago that they were going after their older brother. Snake Eyes knew it was just fear that twisted Fire Storm's dreams into nightmares and he would be lying if he said he was not afraid. Snake Eyes did feel fear; after all, it would not be an easy task to break Storm Shadow away from the mind control. Snake Eyes had had a hard enough time before, now with who knew how many new layers of control Cobra Commander had had woven into Storm Shadow's brain the task would be even harder.

Fire Storm threw a right hook at the punching bag before rolling his weight back on his left foot and lashing out with his right at the top of the bag. He always came here after to work off the effects of his nightmares through training, knowing nothing but complete exhaustion would allow his mind to return to sleep and not dream.

Snake Eyes had called it 'a mixture of fear and imagination trying to fill in an outcome of the unknown', but knowing what caused his nightmares was only half the battle, now Fire Storm had to figure out how to keep them from coming in the first place.

Delivering a series of rapid punches at the bag, Fire Storm threw a roundhouse kick and then slammed both hands, palms flat, into the bag, rocking it away. Fire Storm breathed in and out, perspiration dripping down his forehead as he regained his calmness. Then he used a towel to rub his face, neck and arms before tossing it in a bin.

Feeling exhausted and slightly better Fire Storm walked back to his suite but stopped when he came to his bedroom. Giving his bed a wary look, Fire Storm turned on his heel and walked back to the hallway.

Quietly opening Snake Eyes' door Fire Storm walked over to the couch and smiled. The couch had been supplied with a pillow and a sheet and blanket tucked into the sides. Feeling like he could sleep the rest of the night in peace, Fire Storm made himself comfortable on the couch and closed his eyes.

In the doorway to the bedroom Snake Eyes stood, watching for a few minutes as his brother's breathing evened out and then he closed his door so that he could go back to sleep as well.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Chapter is a little violently descriptive near the end, just warning you.**

Storm Shadow looked indifferently upon the two kneeling French soldiers. Cobra Commander sat on his throne, basking in the fear and false bravery that oozed from the soldiers in waves.

Catching the two sneaking about the base had been easy, delivering them to Cobra Commander a trifle but having to stay while the commander deliberated over their fate, already decided in his mind, was boring, a pure waste of a ninja's talents.

Storm Shadow stood by the Frenchmen, his arms crossed over his chest while he turned his gaze to the ground, counting down to when Cobra Commander would give the order. Honestly, any lackey could be an executioner, why could not the commander have sent him back to patrolling where his skills would be of better use?

"Alors, que vous vouliez voir le commandant Cobra grand?" Cobra Commander asked, his voice as nasally as ever.

"S'il vous plaît, nous n'avons pas de mauvaises intentions," the older soldier said, the younger looked at him in disgust and Storm Shadow rolled his eyes.

"Quelle charge de taureau!" the younger one shouted and Storm Shadow grabbed his shoulder, to keep him from rising

"Pierre—" the older soldier tried to intervene but his foolishly brave companion did not heed his warning, not that it would have done him any good anyway.

"Je n'ai pas peur de toi, serpent, vos jours sont révolus!"

Cobra Commander threw back his hooded head and laughed uproariously, making both soldiers take pause.

Storm Shadow rolled his shoulders, knowing what was coming and knowing it would not take much effort on his part. He did not need to prepare himself, it was that easy.

"Tu crois que je suis effrayé par vos paroles, petit homme? Le règne de Cobra n'est pas si facilement étouffé. Je vivrai longtemps après votre rouleau têtes."

Cobra Commander lifted his hand and dropped it, giving the signal to Storm Shadow.

Storm Shadow stepped to the left; drawing a sword with his right hand he drew it down till it was level with his chest before swinging it to the right. The French soldiers had been placed close together on purpose, as it allowed Storm Shadow to cut off both their heads with one strike.

In less then half a second his sword was drawn and two bodies were dropping to the ground. The beheading was so clean there was no blood spurting, no blood on the blade, nor did the soldiers have time to react or even know their lives were over.

Storm Shadow's sword was sheathed before the bodies hit the ground, the blood running into the carpet.

"Well done, Storm Shadow, no one makes such a clean beheading as you do. You may go now but keep alert, when these two are reported missing more may be sent. Guard! Clean that mess away!"

Storm Shadow half bowed towards the throne before making his exit, anger stirring within him at having to be reminded of his duty. He was the best agent Cobra Commander had and yet his skills had hardly been put to their finest since his accident. Cobra Commander had better start using him to the best of his ability or more heads would roll.


	4. Chapter 4

Fire Storm crawled through the air duct, being careful not to let his swords or any of his other equipment to scrape against the metal sides. He peered behind him, knowing somewhere behind was Tiger Claw, waiting at an exit for Kamakura's signal.

Fire Storm found his exit and clicked his headset, "In position," he whispered.

He waited perhaps seven seconds before he heard Kamakura, "Fire Storm green light," and then he carefully slid the covering off the ventilation shaft and poked his head carefully into the room. There was no one around so he allowed himself to drop to the floor without making a sound. Standing quickly he pressed himself against the wall just in time to miss the sweeping security camera. Standing under the camera he took out a small metal disk and jumped up, implanting the device into the camera. "Camera one in east hallway neutralized."

"Cameras one and two neutralized in west hallway," Tiger Claw reported. "You need to move faster, Fire Storm."

Before Fire Storm could respond Kamakura cut in, "Stay focused on the mission. Tiger Claw, you need to get to shaft B to reach the target. Fire Storm, finish neutralizing the cameras in your area and then get ready to cause the distraction to cover Tiger Claw's retrieval and retreat."

"Rodger that," Fire Storm muttered.

Moving silently down the hallway Fire Strom timed his movements with precision in order to take out the security cameras without the alarms going off. Everything was going according to plan until the door next to him opened. Fire Storm froze against the wall as a soldier stepped out, closed the door and turned to him.

"Wha—" Fire Storm acted quickly. Not giving the soldier time to process what eh was seeing, Fire Storm jumped forward to clamp a hand over the man's mouth and drive his other hand into the solar plexus. The soldier coughed at the loss of air and fell to his knees. Fire Storm wrapped an arm around the man's throat and waited until the man went limp. Finding a floor vent, Fire Storm shoved the body in and sealed it.

"I had contact but neutralized the threat before the alarm was raised."

"Good work, stay alert. Tiger Claw?"

"I'm in the shaft, almost to the room." Fire Storm stayed next to the room where the soldier had come from, just in case anyone else came out. "Alright, I'm here. There are about twenty soldiers in here, all armed. There are no shadows for me to use and I can't exit without being seen."

"Alright, stay in position until Fire Storm creates a distraction. Fire Storm?"

"On it." Fire Storm drew a dagger and attacked the fire alarm box. Pulling a few wires he winced when the blaring alarm went off. "I'm retreating."

Fire Storm went back the way he had come and jumped up, catching his hand on the open ventilation shaft and hoisting himself up. He slid the cover back in place before carefully moving away.

"The room's cleared out, I'm moving." Tiger Claw said and then the comm. was silent.

Fire Storm tried to keep his hands from sweating as he waited. He knew, from the plans they had made, that Tiger Claw was now lowering himself into the room hopefully right over the package they had been sent to retrieve.

"I've got it and I'm back in the shaft, covering my entry point."

"Good work. Your escape route is clear go for it. Fire Storm don't move, there are several soldiers in your hallway."

Fire Storm slowly raised a hand to click his headset and then waited. He could hear the soldiers speaking below him, they had found the hacked fire alarm box and were wondering what was going on.

Two minutes passed before Kamakura gave him the all clear, "Your route is clear to come back to base."

Fire Storm carefully crawled back the way he had come, thankful that he had used colored chalk to mark the shafts so he wouldn't get lost in all the turns. Coming to a six way junction Fire Storm carefully grabbed the rope he and Tiger Claw had used to scale up and slid down it.

Some more crawling and he found that Tiger Claw had left the exit open for him.

Fire Storm slid out and stood up, immediately clapped on the shoulder by Kamakura.

"Well done, Fire Storm, let's tell sensei."

Fire Storm smiled, for once not chiding Kamakura's enthusiasm in reporting to Snake Eyes. This had been Kamakura's first mission as the leader and he had pulled it off without a hitch.

Back in the quarters of the ninja they all gathered around the couch where Tiger Claw placed the package on the coffee table.

Jinx and Snake Eyes, who had listened to the whole operation over the wire, but had said nothing, were very pleased with how the three had performed together.

'You did very well,' Snake Eyes signed. 'Not only did you perform flawlessly but you provided us all with the means to celebrate your success.'

The three young ninja grinned as Jinx opened the large box and they all licked their lips when they saw the two steaming apple pies.

"I love it when Roadblock bakes," Tiger Claw said, as Kamakura began slicing.

"What did you do with the green shirt, Fire Storm?" Jinx asked.

"Oh, I knocked him out, tied his wrists and stuffed him in a floor vent. He's awake by now and hollering up a storm most likely."

The ninja laughed as they each dived into the mouth-watering slices of apple pie.

Their festivities were interrupted by the communications screen blinking red and Snake Eyes quickly made hand motions at all of them.

General Hawk's image appeared on the screen, "Snake Eyes, did you send a team to raid the kitchen? Roadblock worked all day on baking those pies— Snake Eyes? Jinx? Kamakura? Someone answer me! Snake Eyes!"

But the five ninja were safely tucked away in Snake Eyes' suite, enjoying their well-deserved reward for all their hard work. It was purely by accident that Snake Eyes had stumbled against the screen in his room, turning it off and effectively keeping anyone outside the ninja quarter from being able to reach them for the rest of the day.


	5. Chapter 5

File Report: Snake Eyes

Date: 2/13/2013

Pertaining to: Whereabouts on the day of the apple pie-napping.

"After a hard day's workout Jinx, my apprentices and myself retired to my suite for a meditation period. As absolute silence is to be maintained during this time all the communication devices were turned off. As we had no reason to venture outside of our quarter that day we did not do so.

After our meditation period we were all quite satisfied and rested comfortably for the remainder of the day and night.

I did not order my team to throw the fire alarm and steal the apple pies that Sgt. Roadblock had worked so hard on all day to bake perfectly.

It is deeply saddening to see such thievery in our own base and I recommend that measures be taken to ensure that it never happens again. Roadblock is a fine cook and baker, such a man should be respected for his culinary skills."

General Hawk put the paper down and looked up at Snake Eyes, who stood at attention in front of his desk.

"There's nothing in your report about the green shirt who claims Fire Storm tackled him and stuffed him in a floor vent. Nor is there anything about the devices implanted in the security cameras to make them replay the last twenty seconds."

Snake Eyes lifted his hands and signed, '_This is not the first time that someone on this base would have impersonated one of us ninja to scare the greenshirts. I would have thought that the last time this happened we had effectively dissuaded anyone from doing so again but I guess that was not the case_.'

"And the devices? Those are some your tech."

'_We're not the only commandos who use those, General_.'

General Hawk sighed, "You make good points, Snake Eyes, and I know that you ninja are not the only ones who crave Roadblock's baking. I'm just glad that not all the pies were taken."

'_Whoever took the two most likely knew that to take all of them would be suicidal_.'

General Hawk's eyes gleamed, "How did you know that only two pies were taken, Snake Eyes?"

If Snake Eyes was worried it did not show. '_Word gets around, General_.'

Hawk huffed in annoyance, "Dismissed." Snake Eyes nodded and turned towards the door, "Snake Eyes?" the ninja commando turned back to the general. Hawk took out a thick envelope and placed it on his desk, "With all the meditation and resting your apprentices are doing, I imagine they must have a lot of energy. Perhaps that energy should be put to good use?"

Snake Eyes came back to the desk to pick up the envelope, '_Perhaps you are right, General_.'

Snake Eyes stepped out of the general's office, his shoulders shaking with laughter. Then he looked at the envelope, weighing the paper to determine how important the missions could be. His apprentices' little exercise had earned them a mission!


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Sorry about the long wait, got a ton of things to do so really appreciate this update and I'm not sure when the next one will be. Take care!**

The facility was one of Cobra's science labs and, as intel agents had reported, contained research on Mindbender's mind-control devices. Snake Eyes had planned the op, giving each of his ninja a job they had to perform. Snake Eyes would have lied if anyone had asked him if he was nervous about the mission. He was nervous; this was the first classified mission his ninja were going on as a team of five and Fire Storm's first G.I. Joe mission ever. Snake Eyes was scared but he could not squelch the feeling of excitement that also traveled up his spine, as well as his nervousness. Pulling off this mission would bring them one step closer to freeing Storm Shadow.

Kamakura threw Fire Storm a look before the younger ninja left to take his position on the opposite side of the compound. The blue clad ninja was no fool, he knew how important this mission was to his once-time rival and he hoped they managed to succeed. The Cobra science labs were among the top of the list of highest security, it was very hard to find loopholes in the security systems no matter how good a hacker you were.

Tiger Claw stretched out, flexing his muscles as he waited just outside the electric fence around the compound. Getting past this obstacle was easy enough, it was getting into the facility and out again that was the hard part, luckily he did not have to deal with that. Three clicks came through his headset and Tiger Claw sent an acknowledging click back before vaulting over the fence, landing in a crouch on the other side.

To his left he saw Fire Storm land a few kilometers away and waved at him. Fire Storm acknowledged the wave before disappearing behind a building. Tiger Claw waited where he had landed, his eyes evaluating the layout before going to the building next to him.

Snake Eyes did not have to look back to know that Jinx was a few feet behind him, years of working together had attuned both of them to each other's presence. The wind picked up as Snake Eyes and Jinx climbed to the roof of a first story building, just avoiding the guards as they came around a corner on their patrol.

Jinx opened a terminal on the roof, plugging in a drive Breaker had given her to hack the security. Snake Eyes stood watchful as Jinx followed Breaker's instructions and made a back door into the security grid. A few tense minutes passed before Jinx nodded to Snake Eyes and they opened the roof access door. Having made it inside, Snake Eyes sent a three quick clicks followed by two slow clicks to the rest of the team.

The other three ninja, in their various places, pulled out key cards and used them to access their entry points. Fire Storm and Tiger Claw were headed for the main research lab, Kamakura to the other departments, while Snake Eyes and Jinx headed for the security hub.

Snake Eyes and Jinx took nothing for granted as they stealthily made their way across the ceiling of the hallway. Crawling across the ceiling might take them longer to reach their goal but until they could disable the security system this was the safest way. The air ducts were all laser-wired and the security cameras were all pointed at the ground of the hallway, not the ceiling.

Reaching the main control room for the security hub, Snake Eyes pushed the security camera out of the way before dropping to the floor, Jinx behind him. Taking out a this metal piece, Snake Eyes fiddled with the door lock before it opened and both ninja ran in quickly. Snake Eyes used his automatic star disk to take out the security guards across the room while Jinx used her sais to take out the two technicians at the operations' console.

Snake Eyes gave a thorough check to make sure all the Cobra men were down for good while Jinx immediately went over to the control stations. Neither she nor Snake Eyes had the ability or patience to decipher the computer terminology but luckily they had paid attention to Breakdown's instructions. Installing the gadgets that Breakdown had given them, the ninja stepped back to let the computer technician's toys go to work. They couldn't turn off the power completely off because 1) that would slow their movements down and 2) every Cobra installation had a back-up command to erase all computer hardware if all the security installations went down.

Kamakura quickly entered an air duct when he received confirmation from Jinx that they were in control of the security system. Now every time he came to a juncture where a laser system was set up he had only to wait a few seconds before Jinx turned it off and he could continue on his way. He quickly made his way to every research department where he could download all the data, plant viruses and destroy and tests that were going on.

Tiger Claw grinned underneath his mask when Jinx sent them word that the owned the security system. He looked over at Fire Storm and his good mood vanished, his ninja brother stood beside him in the hallway as tense as a drawn back tree branch. Sighing, Tiger Claw tentatively reached out a hand to touch Fire Storm's shoulder and he hid a smirk when the younger jumped.

Fire Storm glared at Tiger Claw as the slightly smaller, stockier ninja signaled for them to go forward. Both ninja pressed themselves against the wall as they made their way down the hallway, freezing every time they came to a security camera and waiting till its active green light went red. Their cautiousness stemmed from the fact that while the security system was within their control there were still plenty of guard patrols going around the building to cause the ninja trouble.

Fire Storm checked the map pad in his hand; they had only two more corridors to go before they reached the main research lab. Tiger Claw let out an irritated huff when he saw Fire Storm's hand tremble, this might be a first mission for both of them but Snake Eyes' brother had only undergone half the training that Tiger Claw had and frankly the gray-clad ninja did not think that Fire Storm was ready.

Fire Storm was about to turn the corner when Tiger Claw reached out to stop him, cocking his head to the side to convey to his ninja brother to listen. They both waited and soon Fire Storm heard what Tiger Claw had heard: footsteps approaching their location. Tiger Claw huffed again, why hadn't Jinx warned them that a patrol was coming?

Fire Storm quickly looked around, fighting the panic clawing at his stomach. They were in a hallway with nothing to hide behind and the air ducts were too small in this section for a full grown male to fit into.

Tiger Claw and Fire Storm looked at each other, both their eyes wide open as they realized that they were trapped!

**AN(evil laugh): Yes, I did give you a cliffhanger! **


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Sorry for the wait and sorry for the shortness of the chapter, also sorry that I didn't relieve your anxiety over the cliffhanger from last chapter(not), enjoy and review!**

Meanwhile at Cobra Commander's top base:

Storm Shadow awoke hearing an insistent, annoying sound buzzing in his ears. After opening his eyes and painfully lifting his head he realized that the buzzing sound was not coming from somewhere in his room but rather in his own head. Shaking his head made him painfully aware of the headache that throbbed behind his temples, and he groaned before lowering his head to the pillow.

Closing his eyes, Storm Shadow gasped as the image of a face flashed through his mind. It had been awhile since that face had last emerged from his memory and he had trouble recognizing who it was. The words 'fire' and 'storm' came to his mind before he blinked and smiled, his little brother. He had almost forgotten.

The buzzing in Storm Shadow's head faded and he sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. Why was it getting harder to remember Fire Storm? Where was he? What had happened to him?

Sighing, Storm Shadow got up and grabbed a set of fresh clothes for the day. Lately a lot had been slipping from his mind that was not related to Cobra and it worried him. Ninja were supposed to have perfect memories, it was part of their training, and yet he could barely remember his life before joining Cobra with this overwhelming anger for Snake Eyes.

Storm Shadow did not like being confused and he was very confused now. Why did it hurt whenever he tried to remember more of his past? He would go to Dr. Mindbender for a check-up but for some reason he did not trust the man, and while Storm Shadow's mind might be messed up there was nothing wrong with his instincts. His instinct told him not to trust anyone in the Cobra base and, while all he knew was around him, he felt it best to follow his instinct rather then what his mind told him.

Stepping out of his room Storm Shadow did not spare a glance at the two technicians working down the hall. Why bother trying to trust Cobra Commander when the man did not even trust him? Those two technicians were more suited for hacking the terminal they were working on than repairing it. The commander had had him under watch for a long time now, and it was getting old fast.

He could not exactly remember why the commander was having him monitored. He knew it had something to do with his enemy: Snake Eyes. A fight that he failed to win, perhaps? But there had been many of those in the past, why would this one be different? No, he had failed to do something, something connected to Snake Eyes and it had angered Cobra Commander beyond what was ordinary for the insane man.

Heading to the training room that was usually reserved for him, Storm Shadow made a promise. As soon as he could slip away from Cobra Commander's heightened security he would find a way to fill the gap in his memories, even if it meant tracking down Snake Eyes to do it.


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Sorry for the delay, things have been hectic here, I don't think this is my best chapter but I know how you are all getting impatient, don't worry I am too!**

Back to the Cobra Science Lab:

Tiger Claw and Fire Storm quickly scaled up the wall and stuck their hands to the ceiling, using their muscles to keep their legs up. The patrol of Cobra soldiers came around the bend, four of them, and the ninja did not hesitate to drop among them.

Drawing his sword, Fire Storm quickly slashed and kicked out, taking down two of the soldiers efficiently. He glanced back to see that Tiger Claw had also taken out the other two.

There was no point in hiding the bodies, they did not have the time to find a place to stow them or to clean up the bloodstains.

Tiger Claw led the way this time, as they turned the corner and continued on the main research lab. Fire Storm followed, a hand hovering over a throwing star on his belt as he kept an eye out behind them.

Three turns later Tiger Claw flattened himself against the wall and Fire Storm followed suit. Tiger claw made a sign for two and then pointed around the corner; Fire Storm nodded and drew a throwing star. Waiting a second the two ninja quickly turned the corner, Tiger Claw dropping to a crouch so as not to inhibit Fire Storm's aim, and they unleashed their throwing stars at the two guards.

It did not matter at this point that the two bodies made a clank of noise as they hit the floor. Having taken out the patrol and now these two guards there was no one to hear the sound of disturbance along the quiet hallway except the two ninja.

Pulling the guards' bodies away from the door, Tiger Claw signaled to the security camera that they were ready to enter the lab. Jinx opened the door for them and they went in, abandoning their stealth but remaining alert.

Since it was the night shift there was no one in the room when the ninja entered. Tiger Claw went over to the hard drives and began downloading the servers' information. Kamakura moved about the room, slashing his sword at every vial or container that he saw while also stuffing papers that he found into his satchel.

Once Kamakura was done he nodded to Fire Storm and quickly stepped back as his ninja brother jumped forward and destroyed the computers. They both took satisfaction in demolishing the lab out of pure spite. When their feelings had been justly expressed, Tiger Claw took off his backpack and assembled a bomb before sticking it under a desk.

"Let's go."

Fire Storm tapped his mic, "Bomb's away, we're rolling out."

"Copy that," Jinx said.

Every ninja made a hasty retreat out of the lab and met up a full two miles from the Cobra research base.

"How much time did you put on that thing?" Jinx asked, irritably awaiting the explosion.

"Wait for it," Tiger Claw said, as dramatically possible and Kamakura cuffed him on the back of the head. "Ow. Now."

_BOOM_!

"Stage one complete," Jinx said, Tiger Claw, Kamkaura and Fire Storm high fived one another, and Snake Eyes tapped Jinx. "Yes, now onto stage two."  
"What's stage two?" Fire Storm asked.

Jinx held up the flash drives, "Sorting through these."

The three younger ninja groaned, "Paper work."


	9. Chapter 9

Fire Storm awoke, sitting up with a gasp and clutching his abdomen where once again Storm Shadow had stabbed him. Looking around his room, the young ninja tried to slow his heart beat and control his breathing but his mind was too shaken by the nightmare. With a sigh he kicked the bedcovers away and sat up, his body shaking with a cold sweat.

It took a few minutes for Fire Storm to identify the strange feeling he had welling up inside him, and when he did he fought desperately to regain his composure. He was twenty-two, darn it, he did not need to seek comfort from his brother just because he had a disturbing dream. Even as he thought it he could hear Storm Shadow's voice in his head, "_Just because you're twenty-two, Fire Storm, does not mean that you're mature enough to stand on your own in this world_."

Before he knew it he was outside his room and halfway down the hall. Feeling a tremble up his spine, Fire Storm continued down to Snake Eyes' suite and opened the door. He crossed too quickly for his liking to the bedroom door and knocked. "Snake Eyes?"

Opening the door Fire Storm could make out Snake Eyes' form as his brother propped himself up on his bed. Snake Eyes took one look at Fire Storm before reaching to the nightstand for his mask. "No, no, leave it off, please." Snake Eyes froze as Fire Storm entered the room and crossed to his bed, "I… I had a bad dream." Man, could he sound anymore pathetic?

Snake Eyes quickly moved aside and opened his bed covers, the only invitation Fire Storm needed to dive for the bed and to his shame find himself moving towards his brother. He stopped, unsure if Snake Eyes wanted his personal space invaded. His fears were pushed aside as Snake Eyes reached across the space separating them and pulled him towards his chest, laying the boy's head over his heart.

Fire Storm drew in a deep breath, finding all remnants of his nightmare vanishing as he heard Snake Eyes' steady heartbeat. He barely had time to whisper a thank you before his body fully relaxed and he drifted off into sleep. The hands massaging his head might also have had an influence on chasing any dark thoughts from his mind.

Snake Eyes continued his ministrations, knowing, from experience, the right places on the head to ensure that no nightmares troubled the sleeper. Once he was sure that Fire Storm was deeply asleep, Snake Eyes leaned back and only kept one hand protectively on Fire Storm's shoulder, just to make sure his brother would know that he was still there.

Closing his eyes, Snake Eyes shifted before he was comfortable enough to fall back to sleep. He could count on one hand the number of times Fire Storm had come to him when he was younger to seek comfort. Fire Storm had always gone to the Hard Master or to Storm Shadow first before he would go to Snake Eyes. With a sigh Snake Eyes submitted to sleep, vowing with his last thought to work even harder on finding a way to save Storm Shadow for the sanity of Fire Storm as well as himself.

Fire Storm awoke rather groggily and blinked his eyes quickly. He yelped as he backpedaled and fell off the bed to the floor with a loud thump.

Fire Storm groaned and looked up, into Snake Eyes' amused face. '_That was not a very graceful landing for a ninja_.'

Fire Storm crossed his arms and sniffed, "I'd like to see a ninja wake up in the morning, realized that he slept his brother's bed like a terrified to-year-old and manage to land gracefully falling out of bed backwards."

Snake Eyes' shoulders moved suspiciously as though he were laughing but his face remained blank.

"Right," Fire Storm got up, brushed himself off in an attempt to gather his dignity and stomped—er, walked calmly—out of the suite.

Snake Eyes ceased to hide his amusement and his face split into a smile before he stretched out and got up. Today the computer techs should be done decrypting the hard drives from the Cobra lab facility and his team would start forming a plan to restore Storm Shadow's mind.

**AN: Sorry if the chapter is short, the next one should be longer but I'm not making any promises**


	10. Chapter 10

"There is nothing we can do?!" Fire Storm yelled, after Jinx and Snake Eyes had revealed their findings from the stolen Cobra hard drives.

"There is no cure we can make to counteract the affects of the mind-control," Jinx repeated, her eyes hard as she watched Fire Storm get prepared to blow a gasket. "However, Snake Eyes has a plan."

'_Mind-control does not erase your memories, it merely suppresses them, that is how Storm Shadow was able to regain himself previously_,' Snake Eyes signed to the apprentices. '_A second term under the mind-control device would have made that attempt impossible to do again_.' Snake Eyes looked at Fire Storm, '_Remember how I helped you come to terms with your past? That same method can be applied to help Storm Shadow break through Cobra's mind-control and remember his hidden memories, however, he will not let me get close enough to him to initiate such a link, nor any of us except you_.'

"Me?" Fire Storm started. "But why?"

'_Cobra would have targeted any memories with me, Jinx or my other apprentices, but they do not know about you and therefore would not have suppressed any of those memories._'

"He'll kill me," Fire Storm whispered.

'_Brother, those nightmares are just that, merely shadows of your fears. Storm Shadow could never bear to see any harm come to you, and no amount of mind-control could take that feeling away. You are the only one who can get close enough to Storm Shadow, calm him and initiate the link. I will show you how to do it but once you reach him you're on your own_.'

Kamakura and Tiger Claw each placed a hand on Fire Storm's shoulders, offering him their support. "Alright, show me what I must do."

The com station blinked and Jinx turned on the viewer.

"Snake Eyes?" General Hawk's face appeared on the screen. "Intel reports have come in saying that Cobra Commander is sending a large contingent of troops to protect his science lab in Germany. Storm Shadow is with them."

"Thank you, General," Jinx said. "Snake Eyes and I were planning on taking he apprentices out for a camping/training exercise for a few days."

General Hawk nodded, "I'll ask Roadblock to pack you some supplies."

'_Come, little brother_,' Snake Eyes signed to Fire Storm. '_We must prepare your mind skills._'

While Snake Eyes and Fire Storm studied the delicate power of the mind, Jinx, Kamakura and Tiger Claw packed their gear for their unofficial mission.

**AN: Sorry for the short chapter, but that's what happens. :)**


	11. Chapter 11

Fire Storm breathed in and out, the lights blinking in and out around him as the plane prepared to drop the ninja team over their designated drop point. The ninja were standing in two rows, their lines hooked up and waiting for the back hatch to open.

Fire Storm had done drop points before and ninja prided themselves on their hard stomachs, so he was not worried about that. No, what required Fire Storm to control his breathing were the thoughts of their mission. He was not confident in himself to carry out his part, he was, after all, named after 'fire' and 'storm' two forces of nature that were not known for their calm personalities. To mental link with Storm Shadow would require a great of calmness and control, two things he, Fire Storm, was definitely not known for, but he did understand Snake Eyes' reasoning.

To mental link both parties had to be relatively calm and the recipient had to accepting. With his mind still hostile towards Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow would be anything but calm and accepting of the link and the effects could be disastrous for both men. So, it fell to Fire Storm, inexperienced and doubtful, to reach out to Storm Shadow's chaotic mind and release him from Cobra's hold.

_Yep, no pressure whatsoever_.

The loud beep sound startled Fire Storm more than it should have and he licked his dry lips as the back hatch opened. Snake Eyes and Jinx were the first ones out, then Kamakura and Tiger Claw, with Fire Storm bringing up the rear.

Falling through the air was not frightening to Fire Storm, he rather liked the rush of air past his ears as he felt it very calming. With a smile, Fire Storm curled in on himself, now realizing why Snake Eyes had requested for a drop plane. His brother knew that the drop would calm him and Snake Eyes was right, Fire Storm had never felt suck calm before as tumbled through the sky. The only sound he could hear now was his heart beat, slowing down, helping him count down to when to release his parachute.

Fire Storm pulled the lever, feeling the tug as the parachute opened up and caught his descent. He now drifted to the earth, the swinging motion of the parachute holding him in a comforting lull.

When Fire Storm's feet touch the ground there was no panic, no gasp as reality hit him. He stood and unhooked his harness, letting it fall to the ground as he secured his weapons. He looked up at the others, nodding to them that he was ready.

The others could see that he was ready, especially Snake Eyes. There was a storm of fire in his brother's eyes but it was not of chaotic origin, rather of determination. Fire Storm had found within him the necessary component to initiate the mental link and, once they had gotten him to Storm Shadow, Snake Eyes did not doubt that his little brother would succeed.

Snake Eyes nodded to Fire Storm and turned, signaling with his hands the chosen paths he wanted them all to go before walking into the jungle as night fully descended.


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: Hi, sorry for the wait. Just a warning, there will be one more chapter after this and then that's the end. I won't be here for awhile to make updates so I thought it was time to wrap this story up and move on to other prospects. So enjoy, review and tell your friends!**

The entire night seemed like some surreal adventure. The ninja had been less than completely stealthy breaking into the research lab since they wanted to draw out Storm Shadow without appearing too obvious. The red ninja had attacked first, their skills deplorable and nowhere near as experienced as an Arashikage ninja.

Snake Eyes' plan had gone well, almost too well. The red ninja had fallen and Storm Shadow had entered the fight before any of the G.I. Joe ninja could recover.

Fire Storm, according to plan, had held back during most of the fighting and had stayed out of sight once Storm Shadow had appeared.

Watching Snake Eyes, Jinx, Kamakura and Tiger Claw fight Storm Shadow had been terrifying. The speed and ferocity with which Storm Shadow had dealt his blows had allowed the white clad ninja to overpower his four opponents; of course he did not know that that was Snake Eyes' plan. Knowing that his sword brother would not lower his guard unless he thought that the threat had been neutralized, Snake Eyes had instructed the others to fake being knocked out or hurt in order to remove them from the equation. However, knowing the plan did not make it any easier for Fire Storm to watch his brothers fight and actually spill blood(Storm Shadow would not have believed anything less).

Fire Storm actually had to turn away when he saw Snake Eyes finally fall. Drawing in a deep breath Fire Storm stood up and ran the half-mile from where he had been hiding to where the fight had taken place. Storm Shadow heard him coming and stopped his sword's descent on Snake Eyes.

Fire Storm stopped a few feet from Storm Shadow and drew his swords.

"Who are you?" Storm Shadow asked, snarling each of its words. "Another one of my brother's apprentices?" He waved a hand at the fallen bodies of Kamakura and Tiger Claw, "You see how well they fared?"

Fire Storm looked around at the fallen ninjas. With startling clarity Fire Storm realized that he had seen this scene before: in his nightmares. Eyes wide he turned back to Storm Shadow, knowing what he had to do.

Storm Shadow's eyebrows disappeared up into his mask as he watched the bluish gray clad ninja drop his swords onto the pavement. "I'm not here to fight you."

Fire Storm then slowly raised his hands and pulled his mask off. He faced Storm Shadow square on, letting his brother see his face completely.

_Please recognize me, please recognize me, pleaserecognizeme_! Fire Storm screamed in his head, hoping by will alone to get through to his brother.

"I know you," Storm Shadow whispered, stepping forward and reaching out a hand. "Your face. Why does your face look familiar?"

Fire Storm said nothing, for once taking a page out of Snake Eyes' book and relying on silence to convey the proper words.

Storm Shadow was before Fire Storm now, his black eyes seeking to pierce the boy's soul. "No headache. When I look at you, trying to remember who you are, there is no pain." Fire Storm breathed an inner sigh of relief, thankful that they had figured rightly. "Fire Storm."

"Hello brother," Fire Storm said with a little smile.

"What are you doing here? Are you with the G.I. Joe?"

"I walk my own path," Fire Storm answered. "And I came to help you."

"Help me?"

Fire Storm nodded, "Once you helped start me on the path to ease my pain, I wish, in turn, to help me get rid of the pain that has been pressing on your mind."

"You know of it?"

Fire Storm nodded again and pointed to his cheeks, "Do you see the mark I bear, brother? The person responsible for this mark and your pain is the same. You are confused at times; your head pounds with pain and you remember little of your past. I can help you get rid of the pain and find your missing memories."

"How?"  
"Mental link."

Storm Shadow looked both uncertain and eager, "Will it hurt?"  
"You once told me that we must first feel pain in order to ease it. Recalling your memories will hurt, but it will not face."

"I do not fear pain," Storm Shadow said. "It is the feeling of knowing I have lost something, without knowing what was lost, that I fear."

"Then," Fire Storm said, feeling calmness and confidence spread throughout his body, "let us find your memories in order to erase your fear."

Storm Shadow nodded and Fire Storm raised his hand to his brother's temple, placing his fingers as Snake Eyes had instructed.

"Those who have wronged you," Fire Storm whispered, as he and Storm Shadow closed their eyes, " will feel our wrath of the Hard Master's sons when you are free of their control."


	13. Chapter 13

**Three Days Later:**

"Are you about this, Fire Storm?" Kamakura asked.

Fire Storm smiled as he packed his gear. "Yes, Kamakura. I have made my decision and Snake Eyes has approved it. There is still so much for me to learn and he will need someone with him while he heals."

"But you could continue your training here," Kamakura protested, "and there are many monks at the Shaolin monastery he will be staying at to help him."

"But none of them are family and despite the great strides I have made here in training and my own healing, I do not feel that G.I. Joe is a proper fit for me." Fire Storm pulled the straps tight on his backpack and slung it onto his shoulders, attaching his swords to the side of it. "Why does it matter to you whether I go or stay?"

Kamakura shrugged, "I suppose I do not understand how one could want to leave this place. G.I. Joe became a home for me after my father died and Snake Eyes took me under his wing before my sorrow could destroy me. G.I. Joe, the ninja team, Snake Eyes, they have all become a part of me. After all they have done for me I suppose I feel the need to pay them back with my loyalty and hard work."

Fire Storm straightened from where he had been shutting the empty drawers of his dresser and turned, "Kamakura—" But the blue clad ninja was gone.

Fire Storm went to the door and looked left, to see his once-upon-a-time spar partner turning the corner. "Fire Storm?" He looked to the right to see Tiger Claw approaching, "Do you need help?"

"Eager for me to go, huh?" Fire Storm grinned and they both entered his quarters.

"Of course I am," Tiger Claw replied with an answering grin. "As soon as you're gone I can move some of my stuff back in here so that my rooms won't be as crowded. I was using this suite as a storage space before you came."

"Let me get this straight," Fire Storm handed two boxes, filled with books and weapons, to Tiger Claw. "You have three rooms in your suite and yet you were using this one for storage?"

"Well, more like an area where I can practice my hobby without anyone tripping over it."

Fire Storm grabbed his other bag and hit the light switch on his way out. "What's your hobby?"

"I build battle scenes," Tiger Claw said, his voice sounding proud of that fact. "I was working on the Battle of Lepanto when you came."

Fire Storm narrowed his eyes, "Wasn't the Battle of Lepanto a sea battle?"

Tiger Claw grinned sheepishly, "I was using your bathroom."

"You had the Battle of Lepanto in my bathroom? I wondered why there were so many water stains on the floor." Fire Storm glanced behind him but sighed when he saw the empty hallway.

"He won't come back," Tiger Claw.

"I was hoping to say goodbye to him."

Tiger Claw shook his head, "He already said it." Fire Storm looked at him in confusion. "He told you why he's so 110% for G.I. Joe and sensei Snake Eyes, right?" Fire Storm nodded. "That was his goodbye. He has acknowledged why you are leaving and why he can never leave; your paths are separate now. You have family, I have family, Jinx and sensei have family, but all Kamakura has is this base and its people. Maybe one day he'll meet a nice girl who will take G.I. Joe's place but for now Kamakura lives and breathes the missions."

"I think I understand. As strange as it was for us to become friends it doesn't feel so bad parting like this, we're still friends, still members of the same clan, but, as you said, we walk different paths now," Fire Storm said, and the two ninja headed quickly to the garage on the ground level.

Snake Eyes and Jinx waited beside an unmarked jeep that they had loaded with supplies. '_You are ready_?'

"Yes, brother," Fire Storm stowed his stuff inside and turned to the waiting three ninja. "I guess this is goodbye for awhile."

"Don't become a stranger, cousin," Jinx said. "Write to us and if you don't visit for Christmas I'm hunting you down."

"Duly noted," Fire Storm saluted her before Tiger Claw stepped forward to clasp his hand.

"Drive safely," Tiger Claw said, smirking at Fire Storm's outraged expression.

"That's hurtful, T.C., it wounds me deeply."

"I'm sure you'll get over it."

Jinx and Tiger Claw backed away and left the two brothers alone.

'I am so proud of you,' Snake Eyes signed. 'You truly have come a long way.'

"And yet," Fire Storm smiled, "I still have so much more to learn. It's like you said: I may have been ready to help Storm Shadow overthrow Cobra's mind control but that doesn't mean I'm ready to take on the world. Or was it that the world wasn't ready for me?"

'_I guess you'll have to work on your sign language to figure it out_,' Snake Eyes was definitely smirking beneath his mask.

Fire Storm huffed and then almost yelped when Snake Eyes quickly drew him into a hug. When he was finally released he looked at his brother in shock, "I didn't flinch!"

'_No you didn't_,' Snake Eyes agreed, "_but you'll definitely have to work on your observation skills so as not to be startled like that again_.'

Fire Storm huffed and turned, pivoting on his heel he threw himself at Snake Eyes with his arms wide open. Snake Eyes stepped to the side, grabbed an arm and turned Fire Storm so that the younger man found himself in a headlock. Fire Storm at first sagged against his imprisonment but loudly protested when he felt his brother's hand descend on his head and start giving him a niggy.

"We left so that you two could say goodbye," Jinx snarled, "not attack each other!"

"He started it!" Fire Storm protested, as he wiggled his hands in between his neck and Snake Eyes' arm and twisted himself free.

"Sensei would never do such a thing," Tiger Claw said, looking to the entire world as if he truly believed that Snake Eyes' reputation needed defending.

"Oh, of course he wouldn't," Fire Storm said sarcastically, making a strategic retreat to the jeep. "Well, if I had known that this was how you Joe ninjas said goodbye to friends I would have planned a farewell gift of my own, oh wait," he snapped his fingers, " I did!"

Fire Storm quickly drew three balloon balls filled with paint and threw them at the trio, at the same time jumping into the driver's seat of the jeep. He heard the yells of outrage before he turned the key and he quickly floored the pedal. He did not look in his rear view mirror until he was out of the garage and the sight he saw made him start laughing.

Snake Eyes, Tiger Claw and Jinx had each been splatter by a different color paint and, in their hurry to get to him, had tangled with each other. They were now covered in various different colors and were running after him.

Fire Storm continued to push the gas pedal down, not letting up until he had put five miles between himself and the G.I. Joe base. Easing up on the pedal Fire Storm slowed down to the speed limit and made his way to the rendezvous coordinates, which were in the next county over.

Approaching the specified place, Fire Storm jumped when he heard someone land on the roof of the jeep. In a second Storm Shadow's face appeared at the driver window. "Pull over and let me drive."

Fire Storm quickly obeyed and hopped over to the passenger seat while Storm Shadow opened the door and stepped in. In less than a minute they were on the road again and Storm Shadow had a silly smile plastered on his face as he fiddled with the radio stations with one hand and drove with the other.

"Where to, little brother?" Storm Shadow asked. "The whole world lays open before us."

Fire Storm grinned, "How about we go to the Shaolin monastery I promised Snake Eyes we were going to go to in order to get some peace and quiet?"

"What's this? No shout for adventure? No cry for freedom?" Fire Storm's face remained set and Storm Shadow grinned as he looked at his younger brother. "You've grown, Fire Storm." He sobered quickly. "And I missed it."

There was a minute or two of silence before Storm Shadow headed the jeep towards Nebraska. "Well, we wouldn't want to make you out to be a liar to those do-goody ninja, would we? So I guess it's off to the remote, boring monastery where the monks drone and the atmosphere is stifling in peace and tranquility."

"They do have some excellent game up there," Fire Storm pointed out. "We wouldn't have to stay at the monastery itself."

Storm Shadow grinned, "Why didn't you say so before?"

The End.

**AN: Before anyone asks let me say this now: No, there will not be a sequel, this is truly the end. I might go back and fix things in the Lost Brother or this fic but they're done. I'll be moving about, looking for inspiration, and setting my sights on different categories. Maybe Lord of the Rings, maybe Transformers, maybe another AvP, I don't know yet. Let me say thank you to all my loyal reviewers and those who have followed but not reviewed. Please hit the review button to let me know what you think of this chater and if you have any ideas you want me to try. You guys are great!**


End file.
